Despite two decades of efforts worldwide to control the AIDS epidemic, more people than ever before are living with the disease, including growing numbers of young women and girls, said Los Angeles public health officials Dec. 1 at the local World AIDS Day memorial event at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

"We're still not making progress in reducing the rate of HIV infection," said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of public health for Los Angeles County. Debunking the perception that AIDS is exclusively a disease of gay, white men, Dr. Fielding said that Latino men and women account for the majority of new AIDS cases in Los Angeles County.

Local county health officials estimate that 54,000 men, women and children are living with HIV/AIDS in the L.A. area out of a total of 40 million sufferers worldwide. More than 28,000 people have died of AIDS in Los Angeles County since the epidemic began 20 years ago. Health experts estimate that more than 14,000 people in the region are currently unaware they are infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

"There's a lot of good news locally for people living with AIDS," said Father Chris Ponnet, archdiocesan HIV/AIDS Ministry coordinator. "More and more people are getting tested earlier and more are making decisions to abstain from unsafe sex. Also, the support provided by faith communities continues to grow."

"It's good we're recognizing what is happening in our community," said Julia Calloway, a member of St. Brigid Church in Los Angeles attending with fellow parishioners Renee Murray and Jammie Young. The three women are active in AIDS outreach activities in the parish such as procuring clothing and furniture for patients and volunteering at a local clinic's hot lunch program.

Betty Franco, a parishioner at St. Philomena in Carson and an HIV counselor at South Bay Family Health Care Center, tearfully watched as bright red balloons were released into the sky in commemoration of AIDS victims. She said she was remembering a close friend who died a few years ago from AIDS. According to Franco, her clinic which provides AIDS testing to over 1,200 clients a year recently experienced funding cuts.

"Not enough people are doing AIDS testing," said Franco.

Charles Henry, Los Angeles County Health Services director of the Office of AIDS Programs and Policy (OAPP), said that local AIDS funding took a $3.3 million hit in federal funds, of which $2 million was restored by the state. Officials ultimately reduced the deficit to $650,000.

"In relative terms, we're doing better than other regions," said Henry, a parishioner at St. Agatha Church in Los Angeles. "We have a reinvigorated approach to education, and we're reaching out to business and faith-based leaders." According to Henry, AIDS is having a "devastating" effect locally on the African American and Latino communities.

To maximize education efforts, OAPP recently launched a countywide awareness campaign based on the message: "One Hook-Up Can Change Everything." The goals of the campaign (outlined at www.Prevent-HIV.com) include increasing HIV counseling, testing and education and reaching at-risk individuals. Free HIV testing and treatment is available throughout L.A. County to low-income patients. An AIDS hotline with trained staff is available for AIDS-related questions at (800) 367-AIDS.

"The first line of defense is education and change in behavior," said Father Ponnet.